Back in February, when I discovered Spooky Squid Games' blend of intense platforming and ultra-violent combat called They Bleed Pixels, I was instantly overcome by a thirst for blood that only the release of this game would ever be able to quench. The developer has not specified an exact date yet, only naming Summer 2011 so far, but release seems to be nearing as they have released a lovely debut trailer. Watch a little girl with claws dismembering countless enemies in various imaginative ways, almost making Wolverine look like a tame kitten in comparison.
Besides the impressive ways of killing, the trailer also shows off the girl's extraordinary jumping skills, which seemingly enable her to slide down a wall above an abyss, fall down at the bottom of the wall and still perform a jump in midair. This twist in the game's jumping mechanics opens up new possibilities in terms of level design and will provide some fresh and demanding platforming challenges. Another novel and unique approach is the checkpoint system, demanding that players fill a checkpoint meter by killing frequently and by incorporating the environment when killing to earn a checkpoint. The developers believe that "action games should offer a genuine challenge. We wanted to create a game that demands that players excel at both combat and platforming", and it seems Spooky Squid Games will live up to these claims. Keep your eyes and ears open so you don't miss the release of They Bleed Pixels and enjoy the new trailer in the meantime.